LitFest Workshops


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	WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
	Note that it is best to reserve a sandwich by Wednesday, May 1 or else bring a lunch or snacks to LitFest. Our cafeteria is closed on weekends.
	A Sense of Place: World Building for Every Genre *3-4 PM Room 740* All stories are set somewhere—in history, in contemporary times, the future or even alternate realities. Creating a believable World for your characters to inhabit can be a challenge. How much detail do you include? Where do you research to find the tidbits of information that will transport your reader to that World? How much detail is enough, or too much? This workshop will use discussion, examples, and exercises to guide us in creating a real, believable world for our fictional characters – no matter where and when they live. A short written exercise will be included, so bring paper and pencil. *Presented by: Doris Eraldi*		Writing the Mythic Journey in Fiction and Nonfiction: Workshop and Conversation 12-1 PM Room 740 Join Rebecca Lawton and Jordan E. Rosenfeld for an exploration of the intersection of nonfiction and fiction writing. The authors will share and discuss perspectives about writing practice and commitment, the hero/ine's journey structure of building plot and other methods of story writing, first drafts, revision toward publication, truth-telling in memoir, and more. Bring your questions and ideas about the Venn diagram between fact and fiction, and how to use the craft common to both genres to write your best book possible. Presented by: Rebecca Lawton & Jordan Rosenfeld
	What Happens Next? Some Thoughts About Plot *11 AM - 12 PM Room 740* A good plot not only keeps readers reading, but also offers writers a powerful tool with which to deepen the characters and explore significant themes in their stories. However, creating a plot that adds momentum to a story without taking over or becoming a distraction can sometimes be a challenge. In this workshop, we will discuss the particular opportunities and pitfalls that plot has to offer, and we will experiment with strategies for creating plots that enhance the stories we want to tell. *Presented by: Jean Hegland*		The Plot Thickens *10-11 AM Room 740* This workshop will take a look at how to develop plot organically, not by formula, but by instinct and discovery. We’ll talk about what plot is and what it is not. We’ll talk about how to make plot work, and how to develop a powerful storyline by attending to synchronicity and unconscious clues. This is not about laying out a plot-line and then following it. This is about how to walk into the wilderness of an idea and find your way through to meaningful and unpredictable resolution. *Presented by: Molly Dwyer*

	Outside the Box: Memoir, the Prose Poem, and Flash Fiction *2-3 PM Room 740* Workshop Description: Examining selected works by Sandra Cisneros, Mary Oliver, Charles Simic, Billy Collins, and others, we'll look at how the prose poem and flash-fiction techniques capture the potent memory-frames that make up our lives. *Presented by: Terry Ehret*		Writing for Performance Poetry *12:30 - 2:00 PM Room 730* Come explore Slam Poetry! This 90 min workshop will teach poets how to write for the Spoken Word genre. Poets will learn what Spoken Word is and what it is not. Through the use of writing prompts, differing delivery styles, rhythms, voice, and physical gestures, students will explore in a “hands on” fashion. Poets are encouraged to bring a poem they may want to “reformat” into Spoken Word. *Presented by: Christina Perez*
	Poetry & Consciousness *3-4 PM Room 730* An exploration into the relationship between poetry, through the centuries, and aspects of human and social consciousness. How a select group of poets articulated their experience of life and the universe. Poets as prophets, visionaries and announcers of "what is really going on". *Presented by: Ricardo Stocker*		Breaking into the Picture Book & Young Adult Markets *1-2 PM Room 740* In this interactive lecture/discussion, Picture Book author Natasha Yim and Young Adult novelist Jody Gehrman will share their top ten tips for breaking into the juvenile fiction market. What are the upcoming trends in the picture book and YA markets? Do you need illustrations with your picture book text? Do you need an agent? If so, how do you find one? How can you make your manuscript stand out from the rest? Join Natasha and Jody as they present techniques for writing picture books visually, and cultivating a strong voice in the Young Adult novel. *Presented by: Jody Gehrman & Natasha Yim*
	Craft a Story Workshop for Kids *10-11 AM Room 730* Creating a good story is like baking a cake. You have to gather the ingredients, mix them up, and spread the layers. Kids 4th grade and up will join picture book author Natasha Yim in this interactive workshop as she shows them the ingredients they’ll need (characters, plot, setting—the Who, What, Why, Where? questions) and how to layer them into a story (motivation, tension, dialogue). Kids will use this basic foundation to begin writing their own stories during the workshop. *Presented by: Natasha Yim*		The Three Essential Ingredients of Young Adult Fiction *11 AM -12 PM Room 730* What makes some novels so appealing to young readers while others languish on the shelves? How can adults capture the elusive teen “voice” editors seek? In this hour-long interactive lecture/discussion, Young Adult author and playwright Jody Gehrman will address the three most sought-after ingredients in YA fiction: Atmosphere, Action, and Attitude. *Presented by: Jody Gehrman*
	Framing the Dream *2-3 PM Room 730* Are you a writer who needs to get an agent and be published by Random House to feel successful? Or are you the more do-it-yourself type? Will you be satisfied with only a Kindle version of your book, or do you need an actual paper copy in your hand to feel like your book is real? You can’t make a dream come true until you figure out exactly what your dream includes. In this workshop, you'll learn how to make that dream a reality. You may discover some challenges you hadn’t anticipated, like financial constraints or lack of free time to “schmooze” with agents. You may discover what you dream isn’t actually what you want. Or you may learn that you do indeed have all the mental and creative resources you need to go after the publishing dream you once thought impossible. Through discussion and individualized focus, Framing the Dream will help you create a step-by-step plan to achieve your publishing dreams. *Presented by:Terena Scott*		Note: Workshop sign-up in advance is highly recommended as space is limited by the size of classrooms in the Lowery Library Building. Please email Jkoetzner@mendocino.edu or call (707) 468-3051. Please give your name, workshop(s) you wish to attend, and a way to contact you. Also, note that an advanced order for food sign-ups is at the Cuisine link. Sandwiches are available by pre-order for $5.00. Otherwise, it is advised that you bring a lunch with you as the cafeteria is closed on weekends.